Q: Why do some wines cause a flushing or redness on the face and neck?

A: There are many reasons that a wine could cause facial flushing, ranging from alcohol or sulfite content to a medical condition known as rosacea. The most common reason for a glass of wine to make someone’s face turn red is what is known as alcohol flush reaction.

People who have alcohol flush reaction do not have enough of the enzyme that metabolizes alcohol in their bodies. As a result, when they drink alcohol, they get an excess accumulation of acetaldehyde, a component of alcohol, which is responsible for flushing or swelling of the skin accompanied by itching or irritation, headaches and/or light-headedness.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that taking heartburn medication such as Zantac or Pepcid prior to consuming alcohol may alleviate these symptoms, but always consult your doctor before taking any medication in conjunction with alcohol.

Sulfites used in the winemaking process are another cause of facial flushing, though their effects tend to be overestimated in most cases. Sulfites are naturally present in many things we consume, including wine.

Most winemakers add additional sulfites to wine for protection against oxidation and bacterial spoilage.

However, for those allergic to sulfites, their presence can cause skin irritation and headaches as well. Any wine having sulfites in excess of 10 parts per million is legally required to bear the label “contains sulfites.” Some organic and biodynamic wines have lower sulfite counts.

Finally, rosacea, a medical condition that affects the skin of the face, neck and occasionally chest, is also aggravated by alcohol consumption. Rosacea outbreaks are typically brought on by exposure to heat, stress and consumption of alcohol, but aside from that rosy glow, is typically harmless.

As always, it’s best to consult your physician or dermatologist to find out which of these causes is the most likely culprit.

The discovery should pave the way to faster diagnosis and more streamlined treatments for the disorder.

Rosacea affects around three per cent of the population and manifests as red, inflamed skin which, in severe cases, can affect a patient’s confidence, explained researcher Dr Kevin Kavanagh, a senior lecturer in biology at NUI Maynooth.

The cause of the condition has been unclear, but tiny Demodex mites in facial skin pores have been suspects. “On average, an adult without rosacea will have one mite per square centimetre, but in people with rosacea, that increases up to 20 per square centimetre,” said Dr Kavanagh.

Meanwhile, antibiotics can lessen symptoms, but no-one has known why, he added. “So we started to ask a few years ago why anti-bacterials work when there was no apparent role for bacteria.”

Working with the Mater hospital, the researchers previously identified a Bacillus bacterium inside Demodex mites. The bacteria release two proteins that trigger an inflammation in patients with facial rosacea.

The NUIM researchers then teamed up with US doctor Scheffer Tseng and found a similar link between the bacteria and ocular rosacea, which occurs around the eyes. Immune tests on 30 patients found that 80 per cent had been exposed to large amounts of the two bacterial proteins, said Dr Kavanagh of the study, which is to be published in Ophthalmology later this year.

“Now that we know it’s primarily probably a bacterial disease, we know the proper way to treat it is with antibiotics at a low level over a long period of time,” Dr Kavanagh said, noting that washing the skin with dilute tea tree oil also killed the bacteria.

“The other implication is that we could do a simple blood test to say whether a patient has rosacea or not. That’s something we will investigate in the future.”

News Source : By CLAIRE O’CONNELL  IRISHTIMES.COM

This is achieved by using a combination of quality skin strengthening and anti-inflammatory products that target facial redness. Together with powerful techniques that provide you with the tools to remain calm, comfortable and relaxed in any given situation.

Firstly, Understanding Why We Blush

Blushing is a natural automated bodily response to situations that are considered to be of danger. The increased blood flow prepares the person to either fight or flee from the dangerous situation.

For people that blush easily, for example through embarrassment, the mind wrongly imagines an innocent social situation to be threatening or intimidating. Which of course will start the automated fight or flight response. Eventually, this can develop into what is known as a thinking trap, an emotional cycle that needs to be broken.

For example, now close your eyes and imagine vividly that you are walking into a crowded room. You don’t know anyone. Everybody is staring at you, the room has suddenly gone quiet. They are waiting for you to say something. You panic, you don’t know what to say. Your heart is racing you feel your cheeks burning andyou can hear the blood rushing through the ears. You look down, afraid to make eye contact. The room feels hot, you have to get out…

If you started feeling the signs of anxiety of actually being in that situation, you can see the how powerful, the imagination is. By learning the following powerful techniques you will be able to break these negative thinking traps, allowing you to remain calm and relaxed in these situations. Which of course will help to reduce, control or even prevent blushing.

It is a fact that you cannot be embarrassed/anxious and calm and relaxed at the same time.

Secondly, Everyone Blushes

Yes, this is absolutely true. However, in some people it is not visible at all, and in others various degrees of redness are seen.

The reason that blushing is visible in some people, is that their blood capillaries are closer to the skin surface or their capillaries may be damaged or even weakened by, for example, from over exposure to the sun.

However, blushing through physical activity is healthy a response and should be encouraged. This will lead to reduced stress and anxiety as well as a healthy circulation and stronger capillaries.

The Negative Psychological Consequences of Using Redness Cover-Up Creams

You may be already using one of the green tinted creams that aim to cover up redness. These creams are quite effective at reducing the appearance of redness, but ensure you use a quality product that is kind on sensitive cream – you don’t want to make the redness worse.

However, an emotional dependency and total reliance to these creams can develop. As a result will have a profound impact on daily life – maybe you are experiencing some or all of the following.

• You avoid physical activities as you are worried sweat may wash away the cover-up cream.
• You never leave your home without it, and panic when you forget it.
• Emotional stress of concealing your blushing to new acquaintances.
• Constantly paranoid that people can see that you are wearing a green tinted cover-up cream.
• Hate the sun, humidity, rain, swimming, holidays or anything that can remove the cover-up.

We are not suggesting don’t use these as we know they can provide some comfort, especially to those who have a permanent bright red skin. On the other hand, we firmly believe that it is best to accept and tackle the root problems of blushing than trying to conceal it.

Easier said than done, I know But at least you won’t have to suffer the above emotional consequences of having to rely on temporary measures.

A Step by Step Guide To Control And Reduce Blushing Periods

Before we start, I must add that there is no skin care cream or oral supplement that can prevent or control blushing.

However, it is important to use a clinically proven topical cream/lotion that reduces inflammation, soothes, strengthens and nourishes the skins cells and capillary walls. As a result the skin becomes less sensitive to environmental factors that trigger blushing and the redness intensity becomes significantly less. All the information for these clinically proven topical treatments are found here.

If these creams are used in combination with the following techniques, you will have the most powerful tools to control blushing.

Step 1. Acceptance, Announce it – Don’t Try And Hide It

Accept that you blush. Don’t try and conceal it when it happens, that only makes the blushing worse. For example, you could say when it happens, “Dammit, it’s happening again, my annoying red cheeks are flaring up for no reason.”

[See post to watch Flash video]

This way it is out in the open to you and all around, eliminating the stress of trying to look away or conceal it. I know this is easier said than done, but once you have said it, you have made a giant step towards controlling it.

Hypothetically speaking, if there happened to be a stage around and a blusher had the guts to climb upon it and shout out to the audience, “I’m a blusher.” he or she would probably never blush again!

Step 2. Practice This Calming Breathing Technique

This simple method focuses your mind onto your breathing and away from the fixation of your outward appearance and the expectation of blushing. This is not easy at the beginning but, with practice it will become natural and it will help to calm any embarrassing or anxious feelings that usually triggers blushing. Try practicing this breathing exercise in private to master it.

• Breathe in deeply to a silent count of four.
• Hold your breath to a silent count of four.
• Exhale to a silent count of four (expel all the air from lungs).
• Repeat this process until the anxiety subsides.

Steps 3 & 4. The Powerful Techniques of Self-Hypnosis And NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming)

This is a very powerful technique for re-training the mind to be relaxed and comfortable in situations you normally blush in. Self -hypnosis is an effective method of building self-confidence, self-esteem other self-development and improvement needs and every imaginable phobia.

Self-hypnosis is a relaxed state of focused awareness that opens the subconscious mind. Once opened, the negative thoughts can be over written with fresh new positive ones, leading to a better way of thinking. Self-hypnosis is now considered to be an effective clinically proven treatment, that is now endorsed by the medical profession.

Visit here to listen to the stop blushing NLP and Self-Hypnosis high quality audio tracks >>

**(Caution do not operate anything that involves concentration whilst listening – such as driving)

Then, just few days later on the 7th July 2009, Ranbaxy Laboratories who have the largest US market share with 30 percent, announced that they were also withdrawing their Isotretinoin based product, Sotret from the US market.

*For the remainder of this article I will refer to Isotretinoin drugs as Accutane for simplicity and because Isotretinoin is such a mouthful to say.

A Highly Controversial 27-Year History

Roche introduced its patented anti-acne drug Accutane in 1982. And since then more than 13 million people have been treated with it. However, during this period Roche has been hit with more than 5,000 personal injury claims, with many still pending.

On the 22nd of April 2008, $10,5million was awarded by a New Jersey Jury to a woman who developed a serious inflammatory bowel disease caused by taking Accutane.

What is Accutane?

Accutane was discovered in 1979 and was released as an oral drug in pill form. It is only prescribed to severe acne cases that did not respond to other acne treatments. Patients undergoing Accutane treatment are closely supervised by a physician and frequent blood tests are taken. The maximum time of the treatment is restricted to 6-months.

The results were dramatic and amazing to say the least. In 95 per cent of the severe acne cases, a permanent clearing of acne symptoms was seen over a 3 – 5 month period. However, in 25 percent of these, the acne did return after about a year, and a further 6-month course of Accutane had to be endured.

How Does Accutane Cure Acne?

• Accutane reduces the size of the skin’s oil glands by up to 58 per cent. As a result the skin’s oil (Sebum) production is reduced by up to 80 per cent.

• This extreme reduction in skin oil dramatically reduces the amount of skin acne bacteria (p.Acnes), which live in this skin oil.

• Accutane slows down the skin cell re-newel process, which in turn reduces the amount of dead skin cells being shed. This is the key to success, as acne is caused by dead skin cells getting trapped in excessively oily pores, which then become clogged entrapping the bacteria within. The bacteria would then infect the clogged pore and it would become swollen and inflamed, resulting in a newly formed pimple or a spot or zit as it is known in colloguial terms.

• Accutane also has anti-inflammatory properties, which helps to reduce the swelling and inflammation.

• Other Alarming Serious Side Affects Caused By Accutane

The list of side effects caused by this drug is almost endless, with the most serious being; suicidal thoughts, birth defects, depression, psychosis, gastrointestinal disease, bone muscle and visionary problems.

Where Does This Leave Severe Acne Sufferers If Removed?

As Accutane is the last resort in acne treatment, what hope is there for severe sufferers if it is removed?

Roche Holding AG, said that it was only pulling Accutane from the US market, and it is still available in other countries. Furthermore, there are still other generic versions (trade names) of Accutane available, such as Claravis and Amnesteem in the US – for the time being?

Is There A Safe Alternative To Accutane?

Yes there is, Vitamin B5, which is a safe and natural ingredient that qualifies to take over the Throne vacated by Accutane. In clinical tests only minor side effects such as diarrhea have been noted in some cases.

Vitamin B5 is known by its scientific name as (d-Calcium Pantothenate) and was discovered in 1997 by Dr Lit-Hung Leung, who presented his research on how it cures and prevents acne.

These remarkable results astonished the global scientific fraternity. But, the US medical profession has been slow to acknowledge its amazing potential of this very safe and effective acne cure, and to date it has still not been approved by the FDA.

Accutane type drugs are slightly more effective than Vitamin B5, because the active ingredient Isotretinoin shuts down skin oil production totally, whereas natural Vitamin B5 only prevents excess oil from being produced.

Conclusion

We believe that the withdrawal of Accutane and Sotret by Roche and Ranbaxy respectively, is the beginning of the end for Isotretinoin anti-acne drugs worldwide. The risk factor is too high when weighed against the benefits, and of course the law suits are becoming too expensive.

We believe that Roche could not have removed its product globally, as this would have been an admission of guilt that its product is not safe. In turn this would have weakened their defense against pending law suits.

One point we do stress is that if you are suffering from severe acne, we recommend that you seek the advice of your Physician or Dermatologist before embarking on any acne treatment, especially oral ones. We are though fairly positive that your physician will recommend that you should try a Vitamin B5 supplement – there is no danger only benefits. Also many physicians and dermatologists around the globe have put their names and reputations to this treatment.

For more information about Vilantae a remarkable naturally safe Vitamin B5 treatment, see our page

http://skin.remedycenter.co.uk/vilantae-revolutionary-acne-treatment.html

Audio Track 1. About Blushing Introduction And How Self-Hypnosis And NLP (neuro linguistic programming) Works To Control It

When you listen to First Time Hypnosis you will broaden your knowledge and understanding of how hypnosis works and how you yourself can begin to use it. You will quickly learn how to relax yourself deeply and activate the powers of your imagination. First Time Hypnosis addresses all the questions that arise in the mind of the first time hypnotee and sets your mind at rest.

Audio Track 2. Stop Blushing NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming)

NLP is method of re-patterning the negative way of thinking to a positive one in order to eliminate those thinking traps that cause the problems that trigger your blushing..

Audio Track 3. Stop Blushing Self-Hypnosis

This audio track is a relaxing self-hypnotic trance that teaches the subconscious to remain calm in those situations that you normally felt uncomfortable, as a result triggered blushing.

Audio Track 4. Self-Hypnosis Stop Being Self-Conscious

Being self conscious is horrible. That nasty feeling that everyone is watching you, judging you and you are the unwanted center of attention.

Of course we can all have some awareness of what others might think of us at least some of the time. If we didn’t have this natural consideration we would be antisocial. But to always be self conscious around others mean that we become afraid to speak our minds, to innovate or to enjoy ourselves fully.

When you begin to calm down then your thinking becomes less extreme and more moderate, you stop assuming other people are thinking the worst of you? Why? Because you stop thinking so much or, I should say ‘imagining’ so much about other people’s perceptions and focus on your own instead.

This self-hypnosis track will get you feeling super relaxed and less fearful of what you imagine other people are thinking about you.

Audio Track 5. Self-Hypnosis Gain Great Self-confidence  – Paul Mckenna

Do presentations, meetings, social events – whatever, stress you out and test your self confidence?

Do nerves make you self conscious, stumble over words, or perform below par?

Low self confidence can make life tricky and sometimes downright unpleasant.  You don’t get the best from opportunities and you may even avoid situations because you simply don’t believe you can cope as well as others do.

This self-confidence hypnosis session does what it says – it hypnotically builds your confidence, allowing you to be more relaxed and capable in situations that were previously challenging.

To find more hypnosis downloads for every imaginable problem, phobia or for just self improvement, these can be purchased at the website below

More Self-Hypnosis or NLP Downloads >>

The best known external retinoids are Retin-A, Differin and Tazorac, while the oral retinoids list is headed by the popular Accutane.

Retinoids are derivatives of Vitamin A and share the parent substance’s effects of reducing the secretion of oil from the glands located in the skin. This primary effect is what makes retinoids so effective against acne.

The long-term (4-6 months) decrease in oil secretion means that hair follicles are less likely to clog and turn into pimples and, in most cases, acne is gone for good by the end of the treatment period.

However, about one quarter of the patients who used Accutane or other drugs based on isotretinoin may relapse and require additional treatment.

But the biggest drawback of retinoids is the long list of side effects, which sometimes makes retinoids look like a disease rather than a cure. Retinoids are used only under the close supervision of a dermatologist precisely because of these side effects.

If a patient needs more than one treatment, the doctor will always insist on letting a few months pass between the treatments in order to give the body a chance to recover.

The most common side effects are dry skin and nosebleeds. Many patients have also reported liver problems, while a few complained of depression.

However, the scientific community is still split on the issue of depression. More seriously, isotretinoin is known to cause birth defects, which is why female patients have to use two separate forms of birth control or vow abstinence during the treatment. Pregnant women are not allowed to use anything but the mildest treatments.

The bottom line is that retinoids are a good idea if one can cope with the side effects. This begs the question: why not use something just as effective, but without the side effects.

Acne treatment systems, such as the leading ones on this site, are also popular because of their success in dealing with the condition, but lack the extreme side that makes retinoids a pain to use. The choice between these treatments is yours.

Knowing what type of skin you have is important for your health care. Your protection depends on accurate information, which is the basis of correct decisions. Skin type determines which makeup, sunscreen and soap you can use and how much you need to help your biggest organ. Environmental factors such as pollution, UV radiation and chemicals damage your skin and block its normal functions.

Normal Skin: This is considered the standard type of skin that we all should have. Normal skin is soft, elastic and firm to the touch. The pores are small to medium in size. It needs no special care, unless exposed to hazardous environment factors.

Oily Skin: Nothing says I’m a teenager better than oily skin and pimples. This type of skin has a shiny look and is firmer than normal skin. Pores are larger and more visible and pimples are far more likely to appear, due to the excess oil produced by glands.

Dry Skin: Firmer than normal skin, but not as elastic. Dry skin is a lot less likely to develop pimples because the secretion of oil is lower than normal. However, the drawback is that dry skin wrinkles sooner. Keep in mind that dry skin can be caused by certain factors. If your skin type is not dry, but you do feel your skin is tight (especially facial skin) and lacking in moisture, then try to identify the source of this change. Soaps, certain types of heating, prolonged exposure to wind, insufficient water consumption and certain disorders can dry your skin.

Sensitive Skin: If you burn easily in the sun and wind, if cosmetics have always given you rashes and if your skin is irritated by almost anything, then it belongs to the sensitive type. You are far more prone to experience the adverse effects of exposure to the environment than other people.

Combination Skin: This is the strangest type of skin. Combination Skin means that different parts of the same person’s skin belong to different types. A common pattern for CS is the “T-Zone”, where the forehead, nose and chin form a “T”-shaped zone of oily skin, while the cheeks are normal or dry.

And since we’ve been discussing skin issues, let me throw in a couple of skin care pointers. As many of you know, the best skin care products are based on Aloe Vera. This plant has been used since the ancient times and its beneficial effects are well-documented. Herbalists have discovered a long time ago that the juice of fresh Aloe Vera can easily soothe and cure burns and other skin lesions. The high number of minerals, vitamins and amino acids contained by the plant makes it perfect for treating various skin issues.

Aloe Vera is, of course, the darling of the skin care market. Well-known skin care products and systems contain generous amounts of Aloe Vera juice. The ClearPores System, for instance, uses the powerful Salicylic Acid to clear acne and Aloe Vera to soothe the skin, help it close the distended pores and heal the lesions. The System is designed to take full advantage of the plant’s healing properties and treat acne. This is just one example, albeit a very good one, of the many uses of Aloe Vera.

Laser surgery is the latest technique developed by doctors to reduce the scars left behind by acne. Doctors use laser beams to burn out scar tissue, which allows the skin to generate new, healthy tissue instead. This technique is still in the early, primitive stages since it is used after follicles had turned to pimples and pimples were reduced to scars.

Still, new research shows that laser surgery could be used in the future to prevent acne from even happening, instead of just dealing with the consequences. Medical grade laser may soon be used to burn away the follicle sac where the hair grows or to burn the sebaceous gland in those parts of the skin that were subject to acne outbreaks again and again. Another approach currently being studied is the use of laser to induce the formation of oxygen in the bacteria in order to kill them. However, at this time, laser is still too dangerous for acne prevention since the extreme heat is known to cause long-term dryness of the skin and even spots.

Other research efforts focus on whole-genome DNA sequencing as a tool for identifying the genetic reasons why some people do not suffer from acne or develop only light forms of this condition. However, gene sequencing is still one of those techniques that belong to the future and are unlikely to become available soon

Is This The Future of Acne Treatment?

In your pursuit for the best acne treatment, you may have come across the electronic devices such as MyZeno that zaps zits with an impulse of heat. It all sounds very science fiction, I agree.  MyZeno gadget resembles that of a prop out of Star Trek than a serious solution for acne.

However, it does actually have clinically proven results and is also endorsed by medical professionals.

But,  how effective is this as a long term acne treatment? The answer is it isn’t. It is merely a short term treatment that eliminates the initial outbreaks. And what’s more the cost of the treatment is very high.

Cost of Treatment

MyZeno claims that it takes 1-2 counts (thermal impulses) to treat a single spot, pimple or zit over a 24 hour period. A 90-count tip costs $35. This means that each spot, pimple or zit will cost around $0.3 to remove, plus of course the initial $100 dollar for the electronic device.

Not only is the cost extensive, but so is the time needed to treat each individual spot, pimple or zit, which MyZeno claims to be two and a half minutes.

Short Term Treatment Only

MyZeno or other electronic devices of this type can only treat existing spots. However, they cannot prevent further outbreaks as they fail to treat the root cause. This means that the sufferer will be hit with constant rising acne treatment costs.

Assessment

MyZeno is ideal for those who need to rid get the odd pimple here and there very quickly. However, if you want to try and treat mild acne with this. We recommend that if you contemplate using this, use it in conjunction with a topical treatment that helps to prevent acne outbreaks – which as you may have already guessed, defeats the whole obeject of this product.

“If you are looking for a serious acne treatment

with long term results then we recommend…”

Zenmed Derma Cleanse >>

How much does each trip to the drugstore cost? How many bottles of products did you buy aimed to cleanse, tone, moisturize, and exfoliate your skin? Does your bureau resemble a hospital medicine cabinet?

The truth is, maintaining a beautiful skin does not have to be this complicated. There are natural ways to have that beautiful skin you have always longed for at your refrigerator and kitchen. Moreover, they are not that expensive as those bottles of cosmetics that you are so fond of.

Easy Home Recipes for Beautiful Skin for Every Day of the Week

1. You will need one egg, a heaping tablespoon of mayonnaise and a tablespoon of honey. Mix this together thoroughly with a fork and apply sparingly to the skin. Allow this to dry and then wipe off with a warm washcloth.
2. You will need 1 tbsp. yeast, 1 tbsp. baking soda, 1 tbsp. water. Mix together ingredients and apply on face allowing it to sit for 15 minutes before rinsing it with warm water.
   You will need 1 tbsp. of gram flour, 1/4 tsp. orange peel powder, 1 tbsp. beaten yogurt, 1 tsp. olive oil. Mix ingredients well and apply paste on your face and neck allowing it to dry. Rinse with warm water first then cold water.
   Slices of cucumbers applied to the eyes refresh and relieve puffiness and they are great cleansers when sliced and rubbed over your face. The same holds true for slices of fresh tomatoes.
   You will need one-fourth tsp. of limejuice stir to mix with one tsp. of milk and cucumber juice. Apply on the face and neck and wash off after 14 minutes. This cleanses and purifies pores of skin.
   Make a paste by mixing papaya, honey, milk and milk powder. Apply on the face and let sit for a few minutes then wash off.
   You will need 1/2 tsp of rose water mixed with 1 tsp of honey. Gently apply to the face. Leave it for about 15-20 minutes, then wash off with tepid water. Honey moisturizes and soothes dry skin, and is gentle enough for daily use.
3. Really, you do not need to blow your savings just to have a beautiful skin. Next time you long for a facial open your fridge and treat yourself to an inexpensive, all natural, at home salon. Satisfaction guaranteed.

My first article ‘Flushing, Blushing, Facial Redness Misconceptions and Treatments’  dealt with flushing, which is usually a natural automated, psychological or allergic response to environmental changes.

Furthermore, the first article highlighted, that these responses can be reduced, controlled and prevented using a combination of methods and treatments. These include relaxation, physical exercise, lifestyle changes,  topical treatments and natural supplements; or in extreme cases prescribed medication and therapy maybe necessary.

Permanent facial redness is a physical condition whereby the blood vessels and capillaries have become damaged as a consequence of:

• Over exposure to the sun.
• Long term and frequent unhealthy flushing (not physical exercise flushing).
• Toxins caused by long term high alcohol consumption.
• Hereditary condition.
• Symptoms of rosacea.
• Free radicals that damage skin. Example, from smoking.

Damaged blood vessels or thread veins are often referred to as broken. This does not imply they are leaking, it means they have become permanently dilated. As a result the blood constantly remains visible. If rosacea symptoms are present, lumps, bumps, and thickened red skin may accompany the visible capillaries.

How is Permanent Facial Redness Treated?

Facial redness and damaged capillaries can be treated by using either topical creams or IPL (Intense Pulse Light Therapy) and Laser treatment. The aim of topical treatments is to shrink damaged blood vessels and capillaries and strengthen skin cell walls against future damage. Laser & IPL treatments target and destroy damaged blood vessels and capillaries.

The most commonly asked question by people experiencing facial redness and rosacea is; which type of treatment is best? Let’s now let’s take a look at each.

Laser Treatment

Can only be applied by certified medical professionals. It works by emitting an intense narrow beam of light heats and destroys the damaged capillary. There is a slight risk of scar ring with laser treatment.

IPL Treatment

Can be applied by anybody i.e. non certified people such as beauty salon assistants.  IPL flashes light, which matches the color of blood in the vessel. The IPL light energy is absorbed by the blood in the vessel, the blood is heated and the vessel is damaged and removed, but all other tissues around the blood vessel are not affected. IPL is more popular for this type of treatment as it is faster, supposedly gives less after effects and there is no risk of scarring.

Misconceptions

Instant results.

Truths

It takes around 5 treatments over a 6 month period  for best results.

Pros

• High success rate.
• Visible results in just a few treatments.

• Painful with swelling sometimes experienced afterwards that can last a few days.
• Possible side effects; hyperpigmentation, nausea and swelling
• High cost, up to $1500 for 5 treatments.
• The risk of getting a poor quality treatment by unprofessional IPL operators.
• No Money Back Guarantee
• Reputable Topical Treatments
• Quality topical treatments endorsed by the medical profession contain natural active ingredients that aim to reduce inflammation, promote healing as well as nourishing and strengthening the skin.

Other topical creams that contain Vitamin K specifically target visible broken blood vessels by aiding the coagulation of the blood as a result eliminating the blood vessel. These Vitamin K creams are used by plastic surgeons to aid and speed up the healing process as well as limiting scarring

The philosophy behind topical treatments is that they target the root cause and not just the immediate symptoms.

Misconceptions

Fast results

Truths

Like laser and IPL treatments, they take a few months before effective results are seen.

Pros

• It costs a fraction of laser/IPL at around $150 for a 6 month treatment.
• No side effects
• Long term
• Money Back Guarantee

Cons

• Lower success rate than Laser/IPL
• Visible results take longer than with Laser/IPL.
• Conclusion

It is often wrongly perceived that blushing and a permanent red complexion is one of the same and should be treated as such. In order to clarify this misconception, I have written two articles. The first of which tackles blushing ( flushing – as it is known by its medical term), and how it can be treated and what causes it.

The second article will be about permanent facial redness, what it is, how it is caused, and the treatments available to reduce or even eliminate the annoying red complexion.

Emotional and Psychological Impact of Flushing

As a former veteran flusher and rosacea sufferer, I am fully aware of the psychological effect that creates a lack of self-confidence and self-esteem. As a result these inhibitions can prevent the personality from blossoming in a normal and positive way.

My road was a long and painful one before I eventually found my solution, which was a combination of cognitive therapy, prescribed anti-depressive medication and a topical rosacea treatment that successfully worked.

The cognitive therapy and the prescribed medication could have been avoided, if I had known what I know today. However, sometimes the psychological symptoms are so extreme, as in social phobia, that prescribed medication and therapy are necessary.

Now let me explain about the symptoms, causes and possible treatments.

Flushing – A Natural Response

‘ Fight of Flight’ is a natural automated self-defense mechanism that prepares the body for facing or avoiding an oncoming danger. This process is handled by the sympathetic nervous system. Which dilates the blood vessels to ensure that sufficient blood will reach the parts of the body needed to deal with danger, such as the muscles. This increased blood flow becomes visible in the areas where the blood vessels are closer to the surface of the skin, such as the chest, neck and facial regions.

Flushing Triggers

Hot drinks, hot or spicy foods, hot baths and hot temperatures cause the body’s natural thermostat to dilate blood vessels allowing a greater flow of blood to the surface, which helps aid the cooling process.

Stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol or food and drinks with a high sugar content, are vascular dilators that may cause flushing and perspiration

Healthy Flushing

During strenuous activity, there is an increase in blood flow through the dilated blood vessels which becomes visible. This type of flushing is a totally natural process and a positive sign of good health.
Exercise is an effective method of alleviating stress and anxiety and the importance of this method to help reduce flushing flare-ups, should never be underestimated.

Unhealthy Flushing

People who have an over active sympathetic nervous system experience frequent flushing flare-ups. The reason being that innocent situations such as social occasions are wrongly interpreted as dangerous and the automated defense system is activated and flushing occurs

These constant flushing episodes may eventually lead to a reduction in self-confidence and self-belief, which ultimately can have an impact on relationships, work.and general happiness.

The Two Most Common Questions Asked By People Who Flush Frequently

Question: Does everybody flush?

Answer: Yes

Question: Then if they do, why doesn’t it show in everyone?

Answer: Because, in some people the blood vessels and capillaries are closer to the skin surface which increases the redness visibility.

How can I stop Flushing?

Firstly, you have to acknowledge the fact that some types of flushing cannot be reduced or prevented, notably flushing that prevails after and during exercise. This is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about, ask any sportsman, sportswoman or athlete that either experience facial redness or not.

Secondly, acceptance is the key. You must accept the fact that you flush easily and stop trying to hide it – this is covered shortly

Treat The Root Cause And Avoid The Triggers

The only long term treatment of flushing is by treating the root cause; which is the over active sympathetic nervous system including the psychological problems that may have been caused.

Lifestyle changes to avoid or limit the triggers that cause your flushing must be applied.

Laser Treatment, Topical Treatment and Natural Oral Supplements

Laser cannot be used as treatment because healthy blood vessels that supply the blood to skin cells cannot obviously be removed.

The Natural Oral supplements that help are the ones that contain active ingredients that relieve stress, anxiety or depression. And also the ones that contain ingredients which protect and nourish the skin from the daily hazards such as from the infamous free-radicals that damage cells.

Clinically proven topical creams or lotions aimed at treating rosacea contain natural anti-inflammatory ingredients that help to reduce the immediate flushing symptoms. The main importance of using only reputable topical treatments is that they also contain active ingredients that strengthen skin cell walls. This in the long term, can prevent capillary damage caused by the constant unhealthy flushing periods that may lead to a permanent red complexion or even rosacea.

Acceptance, Mental Relaxation And Re-Training Your Way of Thinking

We have written a step by step guide that illustrates the powerful techniques and methods that automatically keep you calm and relaxed in those situations that normally caused you to become anxious and flush. This anti-blushing program involves the following steps.

1. Blushing Acceptance – A video demonstrating examples of how to accept and announce that you blush, instead of trying to hide it, which only makes blushing worse.

2. Breathing Technique – This method once mastered will automatically focus your attention on your breathing and away from your self-conscious feelings.

3. Stop Blushing NLP Audio Tracks – NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) is an advanced form of self-hypnosis that retrains mind eliminating the blushing thoughts

4.Self-Hypnosis Audio Tracks To prevent Blushing – These tracks train the sub-conscious mind to remain calm, relaxed and self-confident in those situations that you once feared.

The Self-Hypnosis and NLP audio tracks are of the highest quality and have been recorded by leading Certified Hypnotherapists. You can listen to these on our site via our audio player.

Visit our step by step guide to control blushing here>>

Prescribed Medical Treatment And Cognitive Therapy

Sometimes the emotional problems caused by excessive flushing have become so extensive that prescribed medical treatment and therapy maybe required.

Prescribed Medical Treatment And Cognitive Therapy

Sometimes the emotional problems caused by excessive flushing have become so extensive that prescribed medical treatment and therapy maybe required.

Prescribed Medical Treatments

Beta Blockers – Which controls nerve impulses to the heart and are used to treat anxiety, panic attacks, high blood pressure and flushing.

Anti-Depressive Medication – Often known as ‘happy pills’ these anti-depressive drugs such as Sertralin and Remeron are used to treat symptoms of social phobia, which prevents nervous flushing and sweating symptoms in any type of situation.

Cognitive Therapy – This is an excellent therapy that provides the mental tools and strength to deal with the root causes that trigger these episodes of flushing. As a result it gives the person the ability to keep flushing under control and to accept it for what it is and not worry about it.

The Last Resort – Surgery

This is an operation that cuts the nerve located under the armpit which is linked to the sympathetic nervous system responsible for flushing.

Research has shown that 75% of rosacea and acne sufferers have reported psychological effects such as lowered self-esteem and self-confidence that lead to a reduced quality of life. As a former rosacea sufferer for 27 years, I can deeply relate to this statistic which has led me to write this article from personal experience. I also stress the importance of seeking medical advice if you feel your are suffering from psychological effects that you feel you can not manage.

My rosacea symptoms started at the beginning of the 1980’s when I was in my late teens. It began with a light redness in the cheeks that became more intense as the day progressed. At first I thought I had contracted some sort of viral infection and tried to forget about it. However, after several weeks I continued to suffer from frequent flushing, which then lead to a permanent red complexion. At that time little was known about rosacea and the symptoms were considered to be a form of acne and were treated as such with sulfur based remedies.

My doctor even recommended hot baths to relieve the symptoms; little did they know that these remedies actually made the condition worse, After a while I became very self-conscious of my appearance and had to endure the daily jokes such as: “Don’t stand on street corners you might stop the traffic” or “Are you sun burnt again?” Even social occasions or nights down the pub with my friends became a challenging event, as I continually found myself searching for the darkest corners to hide my flushed face. Back in the 80’s there was no Internet so the only source of trying to find a suitable remedy was through books in the local library, a quest that proved to be hopeless.

The years passed by and my condition neither worsened or improved, but thread like blood vessels were now visible on my cheeks – which people wrongly presumed to be a result of heavy drinking. Then in 1999 I experienced Internet for the first time, and to my delight through AltaVista, I discovered a rosacea remedy based on vitamin k. This was apparently used by plastic surgeons to quicken the healing process of plastic surgery. I eagerly applied the créme as per the instructions and checked my face at least 20 times per day, every day to see if there was any sign of improvement.

After about 8 weeks my redness had not subsided but to my delight, I did notice that some of the blood vessels had disappeared. However, my excitement quickly turned to misery when blisters started appearing on my cheeks which was a side effect of this créme on sensitive skin; so I had to stop this treatment. I once again scoured Internet for other suitable remedies and tried most of them which cost a lot of time and money; but none of them worked. My disillusionment grew and my self confidence diminished as the depression caused by my rosacea condition began to take hold. I could no longer hold eye contact with people feeling inadequate, especially at social occasions – little did I know that I was developing symptoms of social phobia. This Effective Rosacea Treatment Worked But The Emotional Effects Remained

A few years ago through a skin problem forum, I eventually found a rosacea solution by Zenmed which was recommended by one of the forum users. I purchased and applied this treatment expecting the same ineffectual results as with the others I had tried. After several weeks my pessimism was confirmed when I could see no difference to my red complexion in the mirror,

My social phobia symptoms had now reached their peak, I was suffering from deep anxiety as well as frequent panic attacks. My doctor recommended that I seek psychological advice treatment and cognitive therapy at my local hospital, which I did. I was prescribed an anti-depressive drug to alleviate the psychological symptoms of anxiety. My cognitive therapist looked at me skeptically as I described my skin problems and the emotional impact they had on my life caused me to end up here.

My cognitive therapist then used the symptoms of Anorexia as a reverse analogy. At first I did not have a clue what she was going on about, but then the light suddenly switched on and the reason for this analogy became clear. My long term rosacea condition had caused such deep rooted emotional scars that it prevented me from seeing that my facial redness was actually no longer very prominent. Within a short while after my first therapy session, I could finally see that she was right – my face was in reality no longer flushed, this Zenmed rosacea treatment had unbelievably worked. My self-confidence and self-esteem grew quickly as my social phobia symptoms quickly diminished – ‘A Feel Good Factor’ had returned a feeling that I thought I would never feel again.